Genius!: Nurturing the Spirit of the Wild, Odd, and Oppositional Child - Revised Edition

by George Lynn

Overview

Genius! is an inspiring guide to nurturing the remarkable abilities of "attention different" (AD) children diagnosed with conditions such as autism, Asperger Syndrome, AD/HD, bipolar disorder, or Tourette Syndrome (TS).

Drawing on their experiences with their own son, who has TS, George T. Lynn and Joanne Barrie Lynn offer a positive parenting philosophy and successful strategies for creating an affirmative social and emotional environment that unlocks the potential genius in 'neurologically eccentric' children. The authors emphasize the importance of identifying the signs of giftedness, providing the necessary care and mentoring, and using medication with due consideration of its benefits and limitations. They also acknowledge the need to confront the ‘dark side' of atypical neurology - obsessiveness, self-centredness and hyperactivity - and offer helpful advice on ensuring parents' and carers' own emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being.

This book will be an essential tool for parents and carers to help bring out the best in their AD child and help him explore his full potential in life. This revised edition also includes additional material on working with older age groups.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781843108207
Publisher:	Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Publication date:	11/04/2005
Edition description:	REV
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.06(w) x 9.13(h) x 0.63(d)

About the Author

George T. Lynn MA is a Certified Medical Health Counselor who pioneered the use of psychotherapy for adults and children with neuropsychological issues. When his son was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome in 1991, he realized that personality can be powerfully impacted by brain chemistry independent of environment. George T. Lynn works with children and adults with ADD, Tourette Syndrome, Bipolar Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and AS. He is the author of Survival Strategies for Parenting Children with Bipolar Disorder, also published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Joanne Barrie Lynn is a stress management and wellness educator, natural wood sculptor and award-winning writer and poet whose work has been published in magazines, literary journals and anthologies.

Read an Excerpt

In order for our children to grow up as free and productive human beings they (and we) need a positive vision of their lives and potential. My work as a psychotherapist for twenty-five years has taught me this fundamental reality about my own change process and that of my clients: You do not change yourself by focusing on your faults. You have to know your gifts and what you want for yourself in your life and you have to proceed toward this destiny with commitment. This principle of human development applies to both adults and children.

My first two books, Survival Strategies for Parenting Your ADD Child and Survival Strategies for Parenting Children with Bipolar Disorder, provided ways for parents and other caregivers to understand and help very difficult children who were difficult because of their brain chemistry-those who are “wild, odd, and oppositional.” These two books described ways to survive the day-to-day stress of parenting our kids and to get them to adulthood in one piece. You have to have a foundation to grow on. You have to have a safe and strong launching pad.

This book provides strategies for daily survival but its main focus is much wider than the first two works. It is about charting the journey after a successful launch. It is an attempt to answer questions I have received from many parents of very difficult children over the years of my practice: “What is in store for my child when he grows up?” “Is he doomed to failure or is there some hope?” “What is a realistic scenario for his positive development and what can I do to move him in that direction?” These are gravely serious questions that must be answered with respect, compassion, and accuracy. This book is an attempt to provide some answers.

The children I work with in my counseling practice instinctively respond well to hearing about the positive in themselves. They are instinctively able to be more resourceful in situations once they are told that they can do so and are shown how. The journey begins in the doctor’s office but does not end there. Appropriate medication to relieve a child’s suffering and enable him to experience stability and cognitive focus is the first order of business, but it is only the first step.

Genius! provides a plan for nurturing the best qualities in your child. It is based on the premise that we all have an idiosyncratic contribution to make to the world and that we are guided to that gift by something called genius. It provides ways to sort out and strengthen your child’s positive features without denying the presence of his challenges. It represents my evolution as a therapist from fighting fires to planning futures, and my hope is that it provides inspiration for your own work as a parent in this direction!

Table of Contents

Editor's Preface. Author's Preface. Acknowledgements. The Spirit in the Bottle. Introduction. 1. First Criterion: Caregivers Recognize the AD Child's Genius. 2. Second Criterion: Caregivers are Attuned to the AD Child. 3. Third Criterion: Caregivers Help the Child Discover a Great Story That Moves Him Forward. 4. Fourth Criterion: Caregivers Build the AD Child's Participation in a Community. 5. Fifth Criterion: Caregivers Address Physical Factors and Medication. 6. Sixth Criterion: Caregivers Help the AD Child Re-member Himself. Introduction to Part II. Seventh Criterion: Caregivers Practice High-Level Wellness in Their Own Lives.7. Self-Care Rule Number One: Live on Purpose! 8. Self-Care Rule Number Two: Live Free! 9. Self-Care Rule Number Three: Cultivate Love in Your Life. 10. The Peril of Neglecting to Nourish the Genius of the AD Child. 11. How Learning Disabilities Frustrate the Expression of Positive Genius. Conclusion. Appendix. The Field of Nurturing Awareness Checklist. Notes. Epigrams by Chapter. References. Subject index. Author index.

Editorial Reviews

This update of the 2004 edition quotes Einstein that "every child is born a genius." Drawing on their experiences as the parents of a son with Tourette syndrome and case studies of children with such conditions as autism, attention deficit disorder, and depression, the Lynns (who are health professionals) offer parents/caregivers tips for unlocking the potential of "neurologically eccentric" children while nurturing themselves.

Book News

The title of the book actually refers to young people with Tourette's Syndrome, Asperger's Syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and bipolar disorder. Genius! left me feeling positive about the potential of these young people who I increasingly come into contact with. I have learnt how essential it is for parents to get their children involved with other parties, specialists and the community as a whole.

News Check

A rare and precious gift to all those working with neurologically challenged children.

Dr Gabor Maté

This is a very good book... after reading a few pages, and some of the many case histories, I was completely absorbed. I kept writing the words 'compelling', 'intriguing' and 'fascinating' in my notes. Every chapter gives in-depth advice, based on practical experience, of how parents can help their child. This advice could also be translated into the school or therapeutic setting. This book is overwhelmingly positive, but realistic, and makes one feel that there can be a hopeful future for youngsters with these difficulties, if only we can guide their creativity. It will be valuable for any professional involved with people with these difficulties and their families, or anyone seeking to gain insight into these perplexing conditions.

NAPLIC

The Lynns' account of parenting their son with TS is augmented with information that all parents of children with atypical neurology will find compelling. From the pros and cons of medication to coping with impulsivity and rage, this revised edition also includes additional information on older children.

Tourette Syndrome Association

A rare and precious gift to all those working with neurologically challenged children.

Dr Gabor Maté